Improved appaeatus foe distilling peteoleum



J. MILLER.

Oil Still.

Patented A rnm; 1868,

In 've atar WM ZMA,

Nv PETERS. PhMo-Lilhcgrapher. Washulglun. D. C.

tetra strut r Letters Patent No. 77,070, dated April 21, 1868.

IMPROVED APPARATUS FOll- DISTILLING PETROLEUM.

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TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Y Be it known that I, JAirns MrLLnR, of Allegheny City, in the county of Allegheny, and State of Pennsylvaniu, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Apparatus forDistillation of Petroleum; and I" do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and enact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, making a part of this specification, and to the letters of reference markedthereon, such drawing being-a perspective view, partly in section, of my improved apparatus.

The nature of my invention consists in the construction of apparatus for distillation of petroleum, in which- First The crude oil is heated in a vacnum-stilh the benz ine driven'ofi and condensed, and the oil is drawn oil for further distillation in another still. v p

- Second. A continuous distillation is efi'ceted in such subsequent still by the use of a vacuum, and with a small degroc of heat, byfceding the oil while yet heated through a eoil'of pipe arranged in such still, and dis charging it through small perforations into the still, at or nearthe bottom, whence it rises to the surface, and passes oil in a vaporous form for condensation. I v

Third. The gases which pass through the condensing-apparatus into the receiving-tank are drawn ofi, and applied as fuel to heating the stills. I I

Fourth. By the use of gauge-cocke on the stills, and a section of glass in the pipeswhich discharge the condensed product into the receiving-tanks, the supply of oil into the still can be conveniently and easily regulated with reference to the rapidity of the distillation; and,

Fifth. The quality of the oil as it is run oil may be tested from time to time, and if found too heavy to be profitably used for illuminating purposes, the heavy oil in the still may be drawn oil separately, without stopping the distillation.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and usemy invention, I will proceed to describe its construe-- tionand manner of use.

\Qa still, of the ordinary form, having an aperture, A, properly closed when the still is in use, for the admission lf oil, and a. goose-neck, a, which connects with a. condensing-pipe, a, the latter passing in a coil through water in the condensing-tank 0. After leaving the tank 0, it branches as at c 0', one branch discharging into the benzine-tanl: D, and theother into the'oil-tank E. The cocks ee' are attached for purposes-yet to be explained.

"The still A is filled to the usual depth with crude oil, heat is applied, the gasoline and benzine, with such. other lighter products of distillation'as it may be deemed desirable to drive oil, are vaporized, passed through the condensing-coil a, condensed, and, the cock 0 being open and the cock e closed,'they are discharged intothe benzine-tank D. In the pipe 2!, after it leaves the condensing-tank 0,.I insert a section of glass pipe, g, and attach a cock,"f. The former enables-one to observe the rapidity with which the distilling-process is being carried on, and by the latter I draw oil, from time to time, portions of the distilled product, in order-to testits gravity. As soon as the bcnzino is all driven over, I draw oil, through a pipe, It, in the lower part of the still A, the oil thus freed of its lighter products, into a tank, F, refill the still, A, and continue the process as before.

fls lgwn partly in section) is o'similar still, having a goose-neck, b, condensing-worm b, which also passes through water, in the condensing-tank mi leaving it, discharges, by the branches 2' 2 into the tanks D and E, as before. The cocks o o" perform a similar function to those shown at e c. A glass section, g, is also inserted in the pipe 6, and ctest-coclr, f, is attached thereto. From the tank F, a feed-pipe, It, carries the oil therefrom, by the aid of" a pump, injector, or in any other convenient way, and discharges it 'into the feedp'ipc m, which, passing into the still B, is coiled, or passes baclc'hnd forth, as at an. Thelower pipe of such coil has a series of small e pertures, it, through which the oil, fed in as described, passes out into the still, B.' When the still is suflicicutly full, heat is applied, as presently to be described, and vapors-are driven off, which, passing through the condensing-worm t, are condensed, and (the cooks c a being properly set) the condensed oil is discharged into the oil-tank E. By-tlie use of a glass'section of pipe, 9, I am enabledto watch the rapid- 'ity with which the'distillation is being carried on, and by drawing oif portions of the product from timcito time by the cock f", I am enabled to test the gravity. If at anytime I find the product is too light, I set the cocks 0 0 so as to discharge it into the henzine-tank D. If, on the contrary, the oil produced bc too heavy to be profitably used for illuminating purposes, I increase the feed from the tank F through the pipe 121, draw oil" a portion or all the heavy or residual oils in thestill, B, by a cock, S, and so regulate-the product without at all arresting the process. l v

In order to facilitate the vaporization of the oil in both stills, and avoid 'the necessity of preserving so high a temperature as is ordinarily required, I remove all atmospheric or other pressure, before, commencing the work of distillation, by an air-pump attached to the'pipe as, which, by its branches x :c", is connected with the tanks D and E respectively, such branches being fitted with cocks y y. To this end, the cocks c a or o 0', on the pipe leading to either still, A or B, should be opened, a partial or perfect vacuum eifcctcd, when the oil will vaporize at a much lower temperaturethan otherwise, and consequently a much less degree of heat will be required under the stills, and-the danger from explosion, fire, &c., willbe proportionately reduced.

It will be observed that the oil in the tank F has been already heated in the still, A; that it passes through a worm or coil, m, which is immersed in a heated body of oil; that the oil is discharged therefrom in minute streams through the apertures 02, in that part of the still, B, where the heat isthe greatest} that it then runs through a body of heated oil, and, onreaching the surface of the oil in the still, is subject to no atmospheric or other pressure, and consequently, that all things being thus favorable to its vaporization, it x v ill be distilled with great rapidity. I attach to the front of the still, B, and connecting therewith, a gauge-pipe, n, and gaugecoeks n". By these I am enabled to ascertain at any time the amount of oil in the still, B. v

If the oil in the tank F becomes cold before being run into the still B, Ireheat it by passing steam through a coil of pipe placed therein. I

In the distillation of petroleum, it has been found that fixed gases, uncondensable in water, often pass over with the oily vapors, and of course are collected in the receiving-tank. These gases are agrcnt source of danger, since they are combustible, and, when mixed with air, highly explosive. In order to remove them as an element of danger, and utilize them, I pump them outof the tanks D and E by an air-pump, attached to the pipe 11:, and force them through perforated pipes, 2', arranged in or around the furnace z, or if not needed for use as fuel, I pass them ofl' througha pipe, opening at a considerable distance from the furnace, so as to avoid as perfectly as possible such elements of danger. i

By a pipe, I, fitted with cocks at 11.,I pump out the contents of either tankfrom time to time, without interrupting the distilling-process, which goes on continuously, as already stated.

In carrying on the process described, I do not limit mysclfto any particular number of stills, but, generally, I find that such stills, arrangcdin sets of two, are best for carrying on the distillation to advantage.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination of two or more vacuum-stills, one, A, for heating the oil, and driving off its more voln tile ingredients, and the other, B, for carrying on a continuous distillation, by feeding therein the heated oil from still, A, through a coiled or zigzag pipe, m, with apertures 12, substantially as and for the purposes hereinbeforc set forth.

2. The use, in the discharging-end of the condensing-pipc of oil-distilling apparatus, of a glass section, gy', and cock f or f, in connection with a vacuum-still, for ascertaining the rapidity of the condensation and the quality of the product, substantially as above set forth.

3. A coiled or zigzag pipe, m, with perforations 9t, arrahged in a vacuum-still, B, with a continuous feed, either separately or in combination with gauge-cocks 'n, constructed and used substantially as and for the pur poses hcreinbcfore set forth. I I I 4. Utilizing the uncondenscd gases and vapors which are passed over in the procbss of distillation, by feed- 'ing them from the receiving-tanks, through perforated pipes l, into the furnace, substantially as hc einbeforc set forth.

In testimony whereof, I, the said JAMES Mrnmtafhave hereunto set my hand;

JAMES MILLER.

Witnesses:

Em. Tonnnnen, G, H. Cnms'rr. 

